Occasionally I read stories of 13 year-old entrepreneurs who have found a niche market that has allowed them to earn income rivaling their parents. While these type of entrepreneurs may have be on the scene at a young age long before Generation Z was born, today we hear more of them because the Internet brings them to the palm of our hand.

Beyond the accessibility of their story is the opportunity for young people to start a business simply because information is available to them. The information age has brought down traditional rules around climbing a career ladder, allowing motivated and resourceful people to build their own businesses, including those who are especially young.

Generation Z students are looking to build a business instead of pursuing college.

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Costs And Limitations Of College Turn Off Generation Z

Generation Z have watched millennials rack up hundreds of thousands in student loan debt, all for a four-year degree that has earned them meager entry-level wages. This sobering reality has led many of them to take a serious look about the value of a college degree.

Generation Z is looking to that burden and at times choosing to forego the expense. They still need to make a reasonable living though, so they are turning to online learning to fill the gap. Recent estimates find that by 2020, Generation Z will make up 40% of e-learning customers. As a reference point, depending upon which age range you use for the generation, the oldest Generation Z individuals will be around 21 years old at that time. Age is no longer a barrier to career success when many businesses are built around the use of information.

Getting On Their Feet Without College

For some, college would have been a speed bump on their career trajectory. Young entrepreneurs often have the seed planted in them long before they are deciding if they should pursue higher education or start a business. According to a Gallup Student Poll, 40% of students grades 5-12 plan to start their own business, while 24% are already learning how to start and run a business.

“I had forgone college to build my two companies,” said Jeremy Miller, President of Inspired Blue Media, an analytics advertising agency, and Chief Marketing Officer of IDEAvize, an on-demand work space solution. “I had spent years in high school developing my skills, acquiring mentors, reading books, developing a network, and building my personal brand. When I graduated high school, I needed more time in my life to build my companies. College was not going to give me the time that I needed.”

For those that know their path is going to be nontraditional and their pursuits entrepreneurial, making the plan to learn specific skills and build a business early can pay off. Further, those that find a particular skill set that they excel in and that is also in high demand can find the sweet spot of success.

“I officially started Market Boost when I was 19 after my Mom asked me to manage her company's social presence,” said Kling. “It wasn't long after that I realized I'm obsessed with marketing analytics and optimizing things to the fullest extent possible.”

Speaking of parents, what do Generation Z parents think of this drive towards entrepreneurship? In fact, many students feel the pressure from their parents to start gaining real world experience as young as possible. Millennial Branding reported that 55% of high school students felt pressure from their parents to gain professional experience while in high school.

The most interesting intersection when it comes to parental influence on a child’s higher education decision will be when the youngest Generation Z students start making college decisions. Many of these students are raised by millennials, who were often strongly pressured into attending college and ending up footing the bill themselves with debt. Perhaps the pendulum will swing the opposite direction as millennial parents become open minded to their child's pursuits.

They may decide that helping their child build business skills and experience while they have their living expenses covered is the best way to help them build for success. Regardless, keep an eye out for these young emerging entrepreneurs as they burst on to the scene, college degree or not.